Image forming apparatus and telephone operation switching method thereof

Abstract

An image forming apparatus and a telephone operation regulating method thereof, the image forming apparatus including a main body that is connectable to an external telephone communication line; a receiver comprising an audio output unit and an audio input unit, connected to the main body; and a sensing unit disposed inside the receiver, to determine whether the receiver is in an on-hook state or an off-hook state.

1 . An image forming apparatus, comprising:
 a main body that is connectable to an external telephone communication line;   a receiver comprising an audio output unit and an audio input unit, connected to the main body through a telephone line; and   a sensing unit disposed inside the receiver, to output a sensing signal to the main body, according to whether the receiver is in an on-hook state or an off-hook state.   
   
   
       2 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an electric power supply unit to supply a driving voltage to the receiver, to drive the audio output unit and the audio input unit,
 wherein the sensing unit outputs the sensing signal based on a voltage supplied to the receiver.   
   
   
       3 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the sensing unit comprises a first switch disposed in the receiver, to selectively establish a connection between the telephone line and the driving voltage or a ground voltage applied to the receiver. 
   
   
       4 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the sensing unit further comprises an actuator that moves between a first position and a second position to operate the first switch, according to the on-hook state or off-hook state of the receiver. 
   
   
       5 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the sensing unit further comprises an elastic member to elastically bias the actuator toward the first position. 
   
   
       6 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a control unit to determine whether the receiver is in the on-hook state or off-hook state, based on a signal output from the sensing unit. 
   
   
       7 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising a codec chip to convert an audio signal received through the external telephone communication line into a digital signal, and to transmit a result input through an input and output port to the control unit,
 wherein the signal transmitted from the sensing unit is input to an input and output port of the codec chip.   
   
   
       8 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second switch disposed on an audio signal transmitting path between the receiver and the external telephone communication line, to regulate telephone operations, and   a control unit to control the second switch, based on an output result of the sensing unit.   
   
   
       9 . A telephone operation regulating method of an image forming apparatus that comprises a main body and a receiver comprising an audio output unit and an audio input unit, the method comprising:
 transmitting a first sensing signal to the main body, using power supplied to the receiver to drive at least one of the audio output unit and the audio input unit, if the receiver is in an off-hook state;   turning on a telephone operation of the image forming apparatus, according to the first sensing signal;   transmitting a second sensing signal to the main body using the power, if the receiver is in an on-hook state; and   turning off the telephone operation of the image forming apparatus, according to the second sensing signal.   
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the turning on the telephone operation comprises connecting the receiver and an external telephone communication line; and   the turning off the telephone operation comprises disconnecting the receiver from the external telephone communication line.   
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising turning on the telephone operation, if a ring signal is detected from an external telephone communication line. 
   
   
       12 . An image forming apparatus, comprising:
 a main body that is connectable to an external telephone communication line;   a receiver comprising an audio output unit and an audio input unit, connected to the main body through a telephone line;   an electric power supply unit to supply a driving voltage to the receiver, to drive the audio output unit and/or the audio input unit;   a sensing unit disposed inside the receiver, to output a sensing signal to the receiver, according to whether the receiver is in an on-hook state or an off-hook state, using the driving voltage or a ground voltage applied to the receiver; and   a control unit to determine whether the receiver is in the on-hook state or off-hook state, based on the sensing signal.   
   
   
       13 . The image forming apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the sensing unit comprises:
 a first switch disposed in the receiver, to selectively establish a connection between the telephone line and the driving voltage or the ground voltage; and   an actuator to operate the first switch, according to the on-hook state or off-hook state of the receiver.   
   
   
       14 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the sensing unit further comprises an elastic member to elastically bias the actuator toward a first position, such that the first switch is connected to the driving voltage, when the receiver is in the off-hook position. 
   
   
       15 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the sensing signal comprises the driving voltage and the ground voltage.